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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sick of guy at work making me look lazy

72 replies

spanieleyes22 · 04/10/2024 14:51

So we have similar workloads but he always rushes and gets all his work done super fast. Manager just asked will we meet the deadline she set of everything in a task done by 5 today. Am not going to be finished. He of course is well finished. Now he is sending me pm so I want his help. I'm going as fast as I can but I can't keep up. Thing is he comes in at least an hour early every day so that's an extra 5 hours a week. Then he told me he often works on a Sunday night to get ahead. Manager has just said do I want him to help me. NO. It's annoying always to be behind. Am tempted to work over the weekend to catch up again but same will happen next week. Feeling v demoralized

OP posts:
DemocracyR · 10/10/2024 12:32

This is the problem with some office cultures, and in this scenario you need to accept the help if your colleague isn’t going to stop working the overtime. The only way a business can see they are under resourced and not capable of meeting deadlines, is for all involved to work their contracted hours. My manager is really strict on it, including every tiny bit of overtime I do being accounted for. It allows to build a business case for another contracted worker.

Overthebow · 10/10/2024 12:33

When the deadline was set you should have raised it as an issue if it were not achievable. It's not great getting to the deadline day and then saying it won't be met. As for your colleague, good on them putting in extra effort if they want to, maybe they are going for a promotion.

mugboat · 10/10/2024 12:39

Fastback · 10/10/2024 09:29

I don’t think he’s making you look lazy, he is being diligent and efficient and now offering you his help because you’re going to miss your deadline again…

he can't be that efficient if he's working 7 extra hours per week to get the job done. true efficiency would be to do it in the allotted hours.

mugboat · 10/10/2024 12:42

I wonder what the replies would be to a post along the lines of:

"I've just started a new job and I'm choosing to work an extra 7 hours per week to appear to be hard working and keen. Only problem is, I'm getting bad vibes from my colleague who doesn't work 7 extra hours per week. I suspect she thinks I'm making her look bad.".

SereneFish · 10/10/2024 12:47

mugboat · 10/10/2024 12:42

I wonder what the replies would be to a post along the lines of:

"I've just started a new job and I'm choosing to work an extra 7 hours per week to appear to be hard working and keen. Only problem is, I'm getting bad vibes from my colleague who doesn't work 7 extra hours per week. I suspect she thinks I'm making her look bad.".

Or to be more accurate

"I've just started a new job and I'm choosing to work an extra 7 hours per week to appear to be hard working and keen. Only problem is, I'm getting bad vibes from my colleague who doesn't work 7 extra hours per week. I suspect she thinks I'm making her look bad. She regularly fails to meet deadlines but doesn't tell anybody in advance. Yesterday the manager asked how we were doing with a few hours to go until the deadline - she said she wasn't going to meet the deadline, refused my help, then went off on a break to play on her phone."

Theonewhogotaway · 10/10/2024 13:02

I think there is different issues here.

if yours set a deadline you need to meet it. If you cannot do this you should say that, as soon as you know.

if you’ve now been offered help so the deadline is met, you need to accept it. You cant say no and miss the deadline.

if he wants to work extra hours that’s fine. He doesn’t need to stick to his contracted as you wish to. Expecting him to is not ok.

he isn’t doing this to make you look bad. He’s doing it to make himself look good. And that is his right. You however need to manage your own role. If you get a deadline you can’t meet,you need to articulate that. What you can’t do is say it’s your colleagues fault for working extra.

ilovesooty · 10/10/2024 13:09

spanieleyes22 · 09/10/2024 12:37

lol I was messaging in Mumsnet on my break. Am on a break now. Yes it's like what some of you said. The only response from managers is that they will ask someone to help you and then I feel bad like I'm not pulling my weight so I stuck it up. We have a teams meeting tomorrow the first in months but I think I would be wise to say nothing keep my gov shit as nobody will agree with me or back me up that the workload has grown and there's no acknowledgement of that just an expectation to do more work faster.

Well if you're not going to speak up about the situation (either in Teams or to your manager) nothing is going to improve.

DaemonMoon · 10/10/2024 13:12

Have you thought about what you need to be able to hit deadlines? Templates, training, extensions, providing drafts?

Have you identified what additional work you now have and had a prioritisation session with your manager? Taking in your ideas of priorities and what you think can be moved or dropped?

SereneFish · 10/10/2024 13:14

The OP has a couple of threads this year about work things she has refused to do and clashes with her manager.

BigFatLiar · 10/10/2024 13:27

We used to have people come in early and leave late. Usually it was for simple reasons like avoiding commuting rushes. Mostly they were on flexi and used it as time off.

Anyotherdude · 10/10/2024 14:04

I have the opposite issue: I concentrate on my job, meet all deadlines, but won’t stay a moment over my 8-hour day if I’ve finished everything in the expected time.

A few years ago, some colleagues, who regularly stayed late after work to get things finished, started bitching about the fact that I never stay late (we do a completely different job, but in the same department), but the reason they stay late is because they talk (bitch) about) their customer interactions instead of getting on with their work!

E.g. Yesterday, one woman’s conversation with one of them (discussing a technical issue) which lasted for about 20 minutes of one person’s time, had then been discussed by the original person she spoke with, plus the four others that were sitting nearby, for about 25 minutes after she left, so instead of it being a 20-minute conversation it eventually took up a further two hours and five minutes of working time! This is a common occurrence.

My current Manager is satisfied by my work (I know this because we have monthly 1-2-1’s) but a previous one (who only did performance reviews annually) thought I was letting the team down by leaving on time, until I asked if she was happy with my work, as I’d had no complaints (she agreed she was) so I pointed out that if everyone else was having to stay late to complete their work, she was either giving them too much, or they weren’t using their time efficiently. I left her to stew that observation over, and she never mentioned it again 🤣

That being said, if your colleague is working on stuff over the weekend or late at night from home, just file that knowledge away to bring up if your work ethic is ever questioned. As long as you know you are putting in the hours of effort that you’re paid for, and are getting the work done, then you have fulfilled your obligations!

mugboat · 10/10/2024 14:08

SereneFish · 10/10/2024 12:47

Or to be more accurate

"I've just started a new job and I'm choosing to work an extra 7 hours per week to appear to be hard working and keen. Only problem is, I'm getting bad vibes from my colleague who doesn't work 7 extra hours per week. I suspect she thinks I'm making her look bad. She regularly fails to meet deadlines but doesn't tell anybody in advance. Yesterday the manager asked how we were doing with a few hours to go until the deadline - she said she wasn't going to meet the deadline, refused my help, then went off on a break to play on her phone."

does she regularly fail to meet the deadlines? I thought the OP only mentioned 1 deadline... and the impression I got is that deadlines have shrunk bc the guy working extra has increased the boss's expectation

mugboat · 10/10/2024 14:10

SereneFish · 10/10/2024 13:14

The OP has a couple of threads this year about work things she has refused to do and clashes with her manager.

OK, well most of us can;t check a person's past posts so can only comment based on the info presented within the thread

amigafan2003 · 10/10/2024 14:28

You're right, he is making you look lazy.

spanieleyes22 · 10/10/2024 14:31

amigafan2003 · 10/10/2024 14:28

You're right, he is making you look lazy.

lol you're charming!

OP posts:
Polyp0 · 10/10/2024 14:34

I think a lot depends on what level you are at

amigafan2003 · 10/10/2024 14:53

spanieleyes22 · 10/10/2024 14:31

lol you're charming!

Just being factual.

I wouldn't worry about it - he'll be promoted out of your team soon then he's someone else's issue.

NewName24 · 10/10/2024 18:54

spanieleyes22 · 10/10/2024 14:31

lol you're charming!

But those are your words.
Exactly what you asked in the title.

DaftyLass · 10/10/2024 20:42

What do you want to happen?
Help has been offered and you don't want to accept it.....?

PleaseAskSomeoneWhoGivesAFuck · 10/10/2024 21:11

For christ's sake, get a job that allows you to work at your pace rather than moaning about someone who is keen enough to power through his workload.

Might as well buy him a 'congratulations on your promotion' card v soon, then watch him leave while ignoring the advice you have sought on this forum, and being stuck in same job resenting people who work at a faster pace than you!

Zanatdy · 10/10/2024 21:19

spanieleyes22 · 09/10/2024 12:37

lol I was messaging in Mumsnet on my break. Am on a break now. Yes it's like what some of you said. The only response from managers is that they will ask someone to help you and then I feel bad like I'm not pulling my weight so I stuck it up. We have a teams meeting tomorrow the first in months but I think I would be wise to say nothing keep my gov shit as nobody will agree with me or back me up that the workload has grown and there's no acknowledgement of that just an expectation to do more work faster.

Raising it at a team’s meeting isn’t the right way to approach this. You’d be better speaking to your line manager about this.

Fastback · 11/10/2024 07:47

SereneFish · 10/10/2024 13:14

The OP has a couple of threads this year about work things she has refused to do and clashes with her manager.

Ah yes. Prolific poster. The work ones are quite telling.

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